


Here We Are

by fabrega



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Thor: The Dark World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-31 22:24:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/pseuds/fabrega
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki has been returned to Asgard. Sif begins to realize that none of the people who once might have called him a friend, herself included, know what to do with him now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here We Are

**Author's Note:**

> Set between The Avengers and the beginning of The Dark World. Thanks to Sara for the initial read.

The first time Sif goes to see Loki, she can't even look at him. He has been returned to Asgard in chains, and she is furious at him, furious in ways she can't quite put into words--furious that she spent time mourning him, furious about his assault on Midgard, furious that his returning home is not something to celebrate.

She stands with her back to his cell barrier, her arms folded, her jaw set. She doesn't speak at all at first, just takes long, deep, furious breaths. Loki is somewhere behind her, strangely calm within his cell, not saying anything either. The guards are keeping their distance.

"I do not feel sorry for you," she says eventually, more loudly than she intends.

"I did not ask you to," Loki's voice comes from over her shoulder. His tone is less defiant than she expected, and she waits several moments longer than she means to before storming off.

+

When much time has passed and her fury has subsided, Sif begins to realize that none of the people who once might have called Loki a friend know what to do with him now. The All-Father does not mention his missing son; Thor pretends his missing brother does not weigh so heavily on him; Sif herself and the Warriors Three all tread carefully around the subject of their one-time companion. Granted, they are all busy--the troublemakers of the Nine Realms won't subdue themselves--but that's hardly an excuse. She wonders how much of the Loki she knew is left in the man being held in the Asgardian prison cells. She wonders if the others haven't been to see him because they don't want to find out.

The next time they return from battle with prisoners, she lingers in the cell block once her comrades depart and carefully approaches Loki's cell.

"Oh my," Loki says, his voice mostly smugness with a hint of actual surprise, "What have I done, that the Lady Sif might grace me with her presence? I cannot have made more trouble from here." He is seated in the middle of his cell, lounging almost regally across a chair, not facing her directly.

"We have brought you company, prisoners from our battle on Nidavellir," she says, her voice almost a challenge.

"I have seen," Loki says, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the long hallway they'd marched the prisoners down. "And now that they are secured, why are you here?" He stands from his chair, approaches the barrier edge of his cell. "Do you wish to shout at me again? Surely you have not begun to feel sorry for me."

"You have neither my pity nor my trust, traitor," she responds. Her voice is hard. "But we used to be friends." She cannot say _I have missed you_. She's not entirely sure she would mean it.

"We used to be more than friends," he says, his face serious as she finally meets his eyes. 

"That was a long time ago," she says quietly.

He tilts his head at her, his eyes narrowing quizzically. "And yet here you are."

She leaves.

+

They return with more prisoners a few weeks later, this time from Vanaheim. Again, Sif stays when everyone else has left and approaches Loki. "My _brother_ has triumphed again, I see," Loki says, his mouth set into a sardonic approximation of a smile.

Sif nods. "Soon peace shall return to the Nine Realms."

"Certainly all those whom Odin All-Father-But-Mine has subjugated shall celebrate when that day arrives," he says with a snort.

"It seems to me you have no moral high ground from which to speak on subjugation," she responds. This seems to surprise him, and he laughs. The sound is strange and pure, and it shakes something in the core of her, throwing her so far off-balance that the words are out of her mouth before she can hesitate, before she can even think about them: "Loki, Thor misses his brother."

Just that quickly, the laughter is gone. Loki's eyes flash anger and his face contorts with barely-contained rage. "Is that why he threw me in this cell?" he hisses. "Is that why I have seen neither hide nor hair of _my brother_ since we both returned to Asgard? Because he _misses_ me?"

"I miss his brother too," Sif answers, her voice quiet. She knows that it is not really an answer, not in the way he wants. She will not rise to meet his anger.

Loki turns from her, clenches his hands into fists at his sides, takes a deep breath before responding. "Loki Odinson does not exist anymore. I am not sure he ever did."

She leans in closer to the cell barrier, speaking softly, holding onto the memory of his laughter. "And yet here you are."

He does not turn back to face her.

+

Thor is not the only one who leaves the festivities early. When Sif is unable to convince him to stay and celebrate, she sneaks away herself. She finds herself in the halls of the prison, warm with mead, facing Loki's cell.

She sees him scanning her countenance, noticing her stance and her slight sway. "I see that you have partaken of some merriment, Lady Sif," he says, standing to greet her. "More great victories?" His sarcastic smile is almost a leer; she does not like the way the anger pulls at the edge of his eyes. She does not respond. "You have come to see me more than the woman who calls herself my mother has," Loki continues, sounding for the first time more bitter than smug. "What could you possibly hope to gain from these visits?"

She studies his face, seeking in it anything familiar. "Perhaps I hoped you could gain something instead," she says, realizing its truth as she says it.

He sighs. "How many times must I tell you I do not want your pity?"

"You still do not have it, Loki." For the first time since Loki has returned to Asgard, Sif smiles at him. "And yet here I am."

Loki smiles as well--almost, maybe--and echoes back, "Yes, here you are."


End file.
